


The Bow Tie

by Daughter_of_the_TARDIS



Series: Remembering A Forgotten Song [7]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Clara is clueless, F/M, The Doctor is hiding... again, The TARDIS is scolding, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-14
Updated: 2017-08-14
Packaged: 2018-12-15 07:58:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11801781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daughter_of_the_TARDIS/pseuds/Daughter_of_the_TARDIS
Summary: Number Seven: the bow tie





	The Bow Tie

11/River

Clara had been wandering through the TARDIS when she found it. She wasn’t even sure where in the smaller-on-the-outside box she was, but she knew one thing - the Doctor loved his bow ties too much to ever leave one lying on the floor. However, she thought, he did love them enough to put them in cases, as that was what she had just stumbled across - a dark blue bow tie, so blue it was almost black - laying in a wooden box with those strange circular marking carved into the lid. 

Once she picked it up, though, something strange happened - the TARDIS hummed.

Usually the old cow only made angry noises around Clara, but this time she sounded happy…. And then the lights began to flicker - cheerfully, like the TARDIS was trying to lead her somewhere, instead of the usual ‘get-out-of-here’ flickers.

“Okay….” Clara said slowly, but followed the flickering lights, until she found herself back in the console room.

“Doctor?” she called, looking around for the strange alien she called her friend.

“Yes?” he answered from his swing underneath the console. “What is it, Clara?”

“Why was your bow tie lying on the floor?”

That made him pop up from under the console, a look of astonishment on his face - as if he would ever leave something as precious as his bow tie just laying around. “What are you talking about Clara, I’m wearing my bow tie!”

“Oh really?” she asked, moving to remove the thing from its case. “Then what’s this -”

“DON’T TOUCH THAT!” 

Clara nearly screamed in surprise as the Doctor yelled, and the box in her hands dropped to the floor, clattering loudly against the mesh wiring. 

Seconds later he was there, lifting the box off of the floor with a look that bordered on reverence. 

“Where did you find this?” He asked, his voice soft. 

“Uh, in the corridor.” Clara stuttered. She had never seen him like this before, and it had scared her enough to never want to see it again. 

“In the corridor?” he repeated, before glaring at the ceiling. “WHY did you leave it in the CORRIDORS?!?”

The TARDIS rang her bells, and Clara had to stifle a giggle at how furious the Old Girl sounded, and then again at how the Doctor looked like he had just been given a scolding.

“Yes, you're right.” he said sullenly. “But for now….. please, just put it back.” 

Before their very eyes, the wooden box containing the old bow tie vanished, leaving behind a very despondent Doctor, and a very confused Clara.

“What’s so special about that bow tie?” she asked, but he just turned away.

“Doctor!” she called. 

He froze, before answering her in a hollow voice. “It’s just a memory, Clara.”

She seemed to accept his answer, because she walked away after a moment.

It was then that he actually let himself examine the old thing. It was slightly tattered from centuries of use, but that old bow tie held more love in it than most things in the universe ever could. 

Standing on a pyramid, wrapping their hands in a strip of cloth and a meeting of minds, whispering into her ear ‘look into my eye’....

And he whispered, “A memory of a better life.”


End file.
